As students write purposefully, interpret what they read, discuss their interpretations, analyze
language, and formally present their ideas, they keep in mind the effects of conventions and work to
apply the conventions appropriate for their purposes and audiences.
Content Knowledge
Content knowledge is increasingly important in high school.
As students prepare for college and careers, their course-taking
advances them in the disciplines and becomes more specialized.
Literacy is an ever more essential tool for learning in every
content area and for preparing for postsecondary futures. The
literacy standards at grades nine through twelve make clear the
value of both content and literacy. Previous chapters discussed
the powerful relationship between content knowledge and
literacy and language development highlighting the following
points:
- Content areas should be given adequate time in the
curricula so that all students have access to content
instruction. - Literacy and language instruction should occur across the curricula (complementing and
contributing to content instruction, not replacing inquiry and other content approaches) based
on the CA CCSS for ELA and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects
and the CA ELD Standards. Understandings of disciplinary literacy guide how teachers approach
literacy in their particular disciplines or subjects. - In English language arts classrooms, students should read and study a variety of classic and
contemporary literature (e.g., novels, short stories, graphic texts, drama, poetry), literary
nonfiction (e.g., memoirs, biographies, personal essays), and nonfiction (e.g., exposition,
argument, functional text, technical accounts, journalism). - In content classrooms, students should read and study texts that are important to the discipline
(e.g., textbooks, primary and secondary sources in history, technical texts in science and other
subjects), as well as appropriate literature. - All students should have opportunities to read
widely (as an organized part of the curricula and
independently) and have access to a variety of print
and digital texts in the classroom and school library.
In this section, four areas supporting content knowledge
are highlighted: understanding disciplinary literacy, engaging
with literature and informational text in English language
arts and other content areas, engaging with research, and
planning for wide reading.
Understanding Disciplinary Literacy
Disciplinary literacy (Moje 2007, 2011; Shanahan and Shanahan 2008) refers to the particular ways
in which content areas or disciplines (history/social studies, mathematics, science and engineering,
arts, physical education, health, and world languages) use language and literacy (reading, writing,
speaking, and listening) to engage with content knowledge and communicate as members of
discourse communities (e.g., scientists, historians). Fang, Schleppegrell, and Moore (2013, 1) argue
that “learning in the content areas is best conceived of as learning specialized ways of making
Content knowledge is
increasingly important in high
school. As students prepare
for college and careers, their
course-taking advances them
in the disciplines and becomes
more specialized.698 | Chapter 7 Grades 9 to 12